Collapsible umbrella



Aug ZM w26.

COLLPSIBLE UMBHELLJA '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed oci. 20, 192% Awg. 31, 1926. 1,597,897

v B. .SANOWSKY-l ET A1.

COLLAPSIBILE UMBRELLA Filed Oct. 20, 1922 2 Sheets-sheet 2 Patented Ang. 31, 1926.

BENJAMN JANG'WSKY ANDI-IYIVIAN G. ADLER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

coLLArsrBLn UMB'RELLA.

Application filed October 20, 1922. Serial No. 595,823.

This invention relates to an improved umbrella adapted to be collapsed or folded into small compass; for convenience in storing, or to enable the owner to take it advantageously with him on a journey or otherwAc carry it about from place to place,

in object of this invention is to provide a collapsible um irella comprising ribs which are cap-able of expanding and contracting, and remaining in expanded position when the umbrella is needed for use; the ribs being joined to a centra-l rod or steam consisting of extensible sections that permit the rod to be readily shortened or f lengthened; the entire construction comprising parts that can be made from ordinary materials 'that are easily obtainable, and with the fewest possible number of different parts of varying dimensions; so that the cost of manufacture is reduced to a minimum, while at the same time the umbrella can be of exceedingly practical design, easily operated, unlikely to get out of order and capable of giving long and continuous service.

A further object of the invention is to provide a collapsible umbrella having' a handle so united to the central stem that the handle also can be made to change its position with respe'ctto the stem when the umbrella is collapsed or folded; and thus contribute its own share to the limitation of theV space which the umbrella, when entirely collapsed, will occupy.

@ther objects `and advantages of this in-v vention will be set torth` in the following description, taken with the accompanying drawings; and the novel features of the in? vention will be definedV in the appended claims. The disclosure7 however, is explan-V atory only and we reserve the right to make changes, particularly as to shape,.`size and arrangement of the parts, that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention, as indicated by the general meanings of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

On the drawings Figure l is a view partly diagrammatic showing the central rod of the umbrella and the manner in which the ribs are at tached to same; vonly one ribV being included; o

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the rod Vto which the ribs are attached; the section being on the yline 2--2 of VFigure 3 from the rod l outward.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on line 3-3 of Figure 2; presenting the parts in a slightly dierent position;

Figure 4 is van enlarged top `view of a collar which is attached to the upper end of the rod and unites the ribs thereto;

Figure 5 is a top View of a sliding c ollar or runner which loosely encircles the rod and `enables the umbrella cover or top to be distended or folded;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 4t;

Figure 7 shows the ribs and. the cover in collapsed position, to beenclosed in a suitable container or casing;

Figure 8 shows in longitudinal section the lowerend of the stem or rod of an umbrella according to our invention, with a handle shaped to receive some of the parts ofthe umbrella when the latter is `collapsed; and

Figure 9 is a cross section of the handle shown on Figure 8.

rlhe same numerals identify the same parts throughout.

In the particular description of what the drawings illustrate, we use the numeral 1 to indicate the central rod, which comprises sections that telescope one `within the other so that the rod can be shortened or dra-wn out to its full length, as desired. At one end the rod has a handle 2; and to the opposite extremity of the rod are pivotally secured theribs 3 by which one can extend or spread the cloth coverindicated 'at 4;

Only one rib is shown in Figure 1; butobviously as many ribs yas required may be secured to the rod 1, and radiate from same as an axis. Each of the ribs 3 isconstructed upon the principle of the lazy tongs so that only a small transverse movement of the component parts of the ribs will effect a great change in the length of the rib We shall first describe the character and construction of these ribs and the advantages afforded by them'. f

Fach rib 3 comprises a number of struts 5, arranged in pairs. The struts of each pair are joined near their middle points by pivots 6, and intersect each other; and the struts of the several pairs are united at their ends from the rod 1 outward to make a rib of the necessary length. The pivots which unite the ends of the successive pairs of the struts together are indicated by the inu- `mera] 7 and each rib, terminates in lan end strutS, whichis pivotally united to the eX- tremity of the outermost strut that has its outer en d in uppermost position, when the umbrella' is distended, as indicated in Figure 1. The outer ond of the other strut of the n same pair, which has its end in lowermost position, is pivotally connected-to the middle of the end strut 8 by a short support 9. The two str-nts of eachl rib which are in innerinost position; that is, closest tothe rod 1, are indicated by thennineral ,'10, and these struts 10a-re joined to the rod so that the rib can lie-operated asrequired.V For such purposes, we secure toy rodl, near thel end thereof opposite the handle 2 ai fixed collar 11 having-as many pairsl of projecting lugs 12 as there are ribs 3; andthe adjacent ends oi the innermost struts 1o of each rib 3 which are in uppermost .position are pivotallyY connected to the collar 11 by disposing the ends; between the lugs 1 2; these lugs hav-ing-notches 13'; and by passing' a wire through ythe inner ends of the struts. 10 and causing this wire'14'to engage the inner ends oiy the notches 13; the .ends `oi the ywire ot lcourse being secured to each other. Thus, all

- ythe strutsll and the collar 11 can he pivotallv united to each other. v c

Below thecolla-r 10 1s a sliding collar or runner 13 comprising lugs 12 havingnotches 1,3, similar to those on the `collar 11 and' the adjacent ends. of the remaining inner tend struts 10, which will normally be located belowthe collar 11;, can bennited to the collar 15 by means `ot a wire '.14 in the saine wav #.lliis runner 15 h'as ka downard eX- neck 16 provided with a flange 17, that-can he talien'hold of hy ones Vfingers andV perished up. and. down on theV rod 1. lVhenfthe runnerlfis moved away from the collar 11 the ribs 3- are shortened or con-` tractedl. by being' drawn inward towards jacent its midpoint. and to an adjacent strutV 'the rod and when the runner 15 is moved towardsfthe colla-r 11 the ribs are expanded to. diste-nd or spread the cover 4c. A spring 1S is att-ached to one of the struts 5 adata proper point. lThisk springI 18' acts 'as indicatedin Figure 1 to keep the ribs expanded and rto ,resist shortening' or` contracting.y Hen-ce,- noV catch lor stop ifo-rthe runner 15 is needed. lVhen the cover istoloe lfolded 'the rianne-r1.5 is simply pulled awayv from the collar 11. kVith the ribs or spreaders 3 collapsed, the springs 18 tend to inalrekthe umbrella open; and there is of vcoi-irse one spring' for each rib 3. y Y

The strntsf` 'are all of the saine length exec-pt the end strut 8 and the support 9; consequently each rib consists of 'only three parts tlfiatare of different dimensions; be-

V'cause 'after the strut Sfan'd the support V9 are? out and shaped to the required length, all-*theother struts-'Will be-lalike. f

The rod 1 can be made of metal tubing which can be easily purchased in the'trade l and worked to give. it the required shape. This rod consists of an upper section 19 liaving'its upper end closed by the cap 20, and having an opposite or lower contracted end 21 providing an inside shoulder 22. The

Acollar 11 and the runner 15 encircle this section; and the section 19 receivesV in the end 21 thereof the extremity of another section 23 hav-ing an expandedrim 211 located inside of the section 19. This rim 2,11, when the two sections arek pulled ont as far as the coi-istruction will permit, will engage inside shoulder 22 and at the saine time when the rod is to he shortened the section. 23 can be pushed intothe', section 19 nntil the expanded rim 24 about reaches the cap 2). The section in its turn is provided with a contracted end 25 opposite the end having the expanded rim 24, giving an inside shonlder- 26,. The next section 2.7 telescopes within the section 23 and has an expanded rim 28, like the rim 24to engage the shoull der 2.6 and limit the outward movement of the section 2 7. Nea-r the end opposite thel riin 28 the sec-tion 27 is provided with a circi-nni'erential .groove 29.v y

le formv a hole 30 in the end of the handle 2 and intothis hole Iis driven a tubular ,9 insert or bushing and the bushing and the handle are secured to each other by a kpin 32:( Gutside of the handle the bushing 31 has slits 33 and an inside bead or rib 34el extending entirely around the circumference and across the slits 33'.. the section 27 having the groove 29 is forced When the end of f into the bushing 31, the split end having the slits; will expand sniiiciently toallow the section 27 to carry its groove 29 into positionk to receive the bead' 314. The bushing 31:*vvill therefore grip .the end of the section 27 and hold the rod and handle together` Hence, when one wishes to collapse the umbrella the ribs are first shortened'by ma` nipulating the runner 15 and then theI sec- .tion 23can he telescoped into section 19 and the section. 27 into the section 23; while tol I spread' the cover 4l and. expandthe ribs and lengthen the rod A1, the reverse operation is performed. v

' F or keeping the sections 19 and 23 in excourse be heldin extended' position; 'giving' f the rod its-,full length; while to shorten the rod, the sections 19 and 23 must be released from the ca1n-heads 36,v so as to permit the sections 23 and 27 to move upward and into the sect-ion 19. For this purpose we prefer to malte one end ofeachV cam-head 36 inclined; so that, :tor example, if the section 19, while it is engaged by the head 36 by virtue of this head entering the aperture 38 in the end 21 thereof, be turned in the directionof the arrow in Figure 3; the camhead will be forced baclrl `out of the aperture 38; and the section 19 is released and can be turned enough to malte the cam-head abut against the inside surface of the section 19. Then the section 23 can be pushed intothe section 19; and so with the section O As a result of this design, with the cam edges or faces of the catches in a plane transverse to the long axis of the rod 1, the umbrellaV rod can be shortened whenever the ribs 3 must be contracted. When the handle is shortened and the ribs contracted to toldV the cover 4, the parts will all occupy the position shown in Figure 7, and be of such small compass that the umbrella can be inserted into a casing indicated at 39 adapted to be closed by a cap 40. Vhen` stored in this casing or container the handle 2 may be completely detached from the tubular section 27 and stowed between any two of the collapsed ribs 3. To detach the handle, the section 27 is pulled out of the insert 31; and this act permits the rod 1 to be further shortened by an amount corresponding to the length of the handle after` the three sections are telescoped within one another. The casing 39 will be waterproof, to allow the umbrella to b'e temporarily stowed away withoutwaiting to dry it, after using.

The umbrella is therefore Very cheap to malte, and as the material can easily be bought and easily worked, the invention can be produced at low cost. On account of the simplicity and other mechanical advantages of the design, mentioned above, the device is not likely to get out of order and is always easy to operate or collapse when it is to be carried about.

Then expanded, the ribs will'curve down.- ward away from the top of the rod 1 as Figure 1 depicts. The pivots 6 are located further from the upper ends of the struts 5 which are adjacent the cover 4, than from the opposite or lower ends; and to this method of joining the equally long struts 5 in pairs, the curve or drop of the ribs 3 at their outer ends, is due.

Figures 8 and 9 show a special design of handle so united to one end ot the rod or stein 1 that it can be moved with respect to the rod, and so shaped that it can receive the rib 3 when the umbrella, is collapsed. The handle comprises a tubular body 41 having longitudinal slots 42 equal in number to the number of ribs 3, and these slots begin near one end of the body and open through the other, this other end being the upper end in Figure 8. Hence, the body will have the shape oi a continuous ring at one end, from which ring extends, in a direction` plane of the ring, a

perpendicular to the number of upright lingers or prongs 43, between which the slots 42 are located. The lower end of the handle will be closed by a cap 44 which fits tightly into the body 41,

and at the opposite end of the handle will be the tubular section 27. The cap 45 has a' central bushing 49 and the vlower end ofv the section 27 is reduced as at 50 and is inserted into the bushing 49 and soldered fast. Hence.l if the handle be pushed in the direction of the sectionr27, the cap 44 moves towards the cap 45, the prongs 43 slide through the slots 46, and the rod 48 can be moved into the stem or rod l; the cap 45 thus in etl'ect movably or telescopically engaging the body 41 of the hollow handle, and serving as a guide head for the rod 1; but the handle cannot turn to an appreciable extent, because the section 27 is soldered to the cap 45 and the rod 48 is rigid with the cap 44 and body 41. At its upper end, inside the section 27, the rod 48 has a head or collar 51 and between the reduced end and the body of the section 27 is a shoulder 52 which prevents separation of the rod 48 and section 27 by pulling out of the rod from this section. Near the head 51 the rod 48 has a recess 53, the rod 48` being shown as if broken away at its upper part in Figure 8 to reveal this recess; and

registering with this recess in the reduced end 50 of the section 27 is a slot 54. The re cess contains a catch 55 pivoted on a pin 56 and a spring 57 having one end in a notch at the upper extremity of the recess 53 and the other extremity engaging a notch in thecatch 55 normally moves the free end of this catch into the slot 54, and makes the end of the catch abut the upper end of the slot 54 in the section 27; so as to hold the section 23 and handle 41 against telescoping movement when the umbrella is distended.

When the umbrella is to be collapsed the ribs 3 are contracted, the catches 36 are re leased and the section 23 is moved up into the section 19 and the section 27 into the section 23. The reduced end 25 of the section will lirst engage thebeveledE end of.

the catchV 55 and move it inward ,so as to cause the squared or abrupt end of'this catch to disengagethe upperrend' of the slot 54,

and Vthen the movementof the section 27 along the rod 48 as the cap 45 movesv into' spring 57 g thereb7 allowing movementy of the rod 48 intothe section 27, and of the cap 45 down as faras the cap 44. The travely of the cap 45 into the handle exposes the open ends of the Aslots 42, and as the stein lk is shortened the contracted ribs 3 enter e Athese slots and are thus housed in the handle.

The ventire structure can then be enclosed in the easing'39. Vhen the ribs enter the slots 42 the collar 15 may also pass yinto the handle 41 bee-anse it is made smaller than the inside `diameter ofthe handle. To einV pand the umbrella `again the handle issimply pulled to extend the sections 19, 23 and 27, and draw the head 5l .against the shoulder 52 of the Vsection 2 7 and the slot 54 into position to let the catch A55 move out Yinto it.

meme? Having described our invention, what We' believe to be new anddesire to secure and roteet by Letters Patent of the United btates iszl 1 I A. collapsible umbrella having a cover and inote therefrom, the struts of each pair be jing .pivotallv united at points which are relatively farther from the -ends of the struts adjacent the cover than from the Opposite ends, the rib when expanded curving from one end to the other, and a spring for each rib attached' at itsends to the struts in position to exert` a force tending to expand the rib;l l

In witness whereof, we have sign-ed our names Vto this speeieaton this 25th day of September, 1922. Y

l 'BENJAlVlIlTv JANOWSKY.

HYMAN G. ADLER. 

